DAVIS, Calif. ? J.T. Nishimura gave California its second straight top-flight singles championship at the Aggie Invitational when he beat Nevada's Ryan Andrada, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, on Sunday, the last day of the UC Davis tournament played at the Marya Welch Tennis Center.
“J.T. played well all weekend,” Cal had coach Peter Wright said. “The singles final was a bit challenging at the start, but J.T. was able to turn it around with some well-timed attacks and excellent defense. Overall, this was another positive tournament for the Bears.”
The Golden Bear sophomore's victory follows that of Mads Engsted, who won the flight A singles crown in 2014 at the Aggie Invite. Engsted, now a senior, was also the 2013 runner-up in the Aggie Invitational.
SACRAMENTO ? Elsewhere in the Golden State's Central Valley, Cal juniors Florian Lakat and Andre Goransson played in singles qualifying in the $100,000 Sacramento Challenger. The Bears reached the round of 16 before each lost to professional players.
In the opening round of 32, Goransson, the Hollviken, Sweden, product, bested American Jared Thompkins, 6-4, 6-1, while Lakat, from Paris, France, dispatched Kiryl Harbatsiuk of Belarus, 6-2, 6-4. In the next round, Goransson fell to third-seeded Bulgarian Dimitar Kutrovsky, 6-3, 6-2, and Lakat lost to fifth-seeded American Nicolas Meister, 6-2, 6-2.
“Andre and Florian played well in their second consecutive $100,000 Challenger by reaching the second round of qualifying,” Wright said. “They're getting wonderful experience, and it's becoming easier for them to see what the transition to pro tennis will look like in a couple of years. The pro tournaments have also been great preparation for the All-American tournament in Tulsa this week.”
Also in the Sacramento Challenger, Cal alumnus Ben McLachlan lost to eighth-seeded American and fellow pro Marcos Giron, 6-4, 6-4, in the singles qualifying round of 32. McLachlan, who hails from Queenstown, New Zealand, is paired with American Andre Dome in doubles qualifying. The duo beat Americans Andrew Carter and Mico Santiago, 7-5, 6-1, in the semifinals. McLachlan and Dome play Kutrovsky and American Evan King in the final.
